TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ. [Autograph, in the possession of Colonel Davison.] Victory, March 11th, 1805. My dear Davison, You will readily believe that my heart is almost broke at not having got hold of those French folks. From January 19th to this day, I have not been to be envied. Had they not been crippled, nothing could have hindered our meeting them on January 21st, off the South end of Sardinia. Ever since, we have been prepared for Battle: not a bulk-head up in the Fleet. Night or day, it is my determination not to lose one moment in attacking them. To add to my sorrow, the Convoy has been intercepted. That would not have happened, could I have ordered the Officer off Cadiz to have sent Ships to protect them. But when I tell my tale of all the unpolite conduct, as reported to me, I pity the man. But it is impossible it can go on. I hear I am not to be allowed to send a Vessel even with my dispatches to Lisbon: I bear it patiently. When I see Lord Melville and Nepean, something will be decided. The French Fleet are reported not to have disembarked their Troops, and I am in hourly hopes of getting at them; after which, I shall certainly return to England. But I shall never quit my post when the French Fleet is at sea, as a Commander-in-Chief of great celebrity once did. I would sooner die at my post, than have such a stigma upon my memory. To mend matters, poor Captain Layman came to me in a Cartel, having lost his fine Sloop, and I only hope that all dispatches are lost; but I much fear, as they were not thrown overboard till the Vessel struck, that they may wash on shore. Layman says it is impossible. He was tried by a CourtMartial the day before yesterday; and, to my great surprise, severely censured, for running uncautiously in with the land. The testimonies of his exertions to save the Sloop are uncontrovertible, and were never exceeded. I know too well to comment upon a Sentence; but if running in with the land, to rocks, passing narrow and dangerous passages, where my Ship, or Fleets intrusted to my care, might have been lost, is fault, I have been guilty of a thousand. I would employ ayman to-morrow if I could; and I beg that you will menɔn him with kindness to our friend Nepean, who I have ven Captain L. a letter to. I am, in truth, very, very id; but ever, my dear Davison, your most faithful friend, NELSON AND BRONTE. November 2nd, my last letters from England. I hope you re entirely mistaken about the destination of the intended Expedition. Ten thousand times more important are fifty other ›laces than if we were in the actual capture of Mexico or Peru. We want a War that will make a Peace, and no Conquests there will have that effect. You are, my friend, a man of business, and I am not surprised at Lord Melville's attention to you. He shows his discernment in that, as he does in everything he undertakes. Remember me kindly to Nepean. I have wrote to him about poor Captain Layman. I am sensible of your goodness in paying all my bills for the improvements at Merton, which I will, if I live, or have as much property, repay with many thanks. But I fancy dear Lady Hamilton wants some money to furnish the new part. She will not be extravagant; therefore, if you will let her have the money for it, I shall feel much obliged. May God bless my dear friend; and be assured I am ever your much obliged friend, NELSON AND Bronte. TO CAPTAIN BAYNTUN, H. M. SHIP LEVIATHAN. [Autograph, in the possession of Miss Bolton, of Burnham.] Victory, 11th March, 1805. Most Secret Memoranda. In case the Fleet should not be able to get to Rendezvous 102, and Lord Nelson would have Captain Bayntun proceed there, he wishes to give the directions hereafter mentioned. The Fisgard to be left in the Command off Toulon, to watch the Enemy, with such other Frigates-not to exceed threeas shall be there. It is very desirable for a Frigate, or the Bittern Sloop, to relieve the Thunder Bomb on Rendezvous 97, and the Thunder to be ordered to Rendezvous 98. The Childers and Renown to be ordered to Rendezvous 98. The Leviathan to proceed to Rendezvous 98, which is the General Rendezvous. The Phoebe and Hydra are ordered to proceed to Rendezvous 102, and between that Rendezvous and Toulon, to relieve Active and Seahorse, who must want water; therefore, Captain Bayntun is desired to give them a present supply of that article. I shall, if possible, make my appearance off Barcelona, in order to induce the Enemy to believe that I am fixed upon the Coast of Spain, when I have every reason to believe they will put to sea, as I am told the Troops are still embarked. From off Barcelona I shall proceed direct to Rendezvous 98. Should the Leviathan be at 98 before me, and find there either Termagant or Bittern, it would be very desirable to have a Vessel fixed ten leagues West of St. Pierres, in case the French Fleet should not steer close to the Island; for I think Egypt is still their object. Captain Bayntun will keep this paper a secret, and if not used, return it to me. Captain Bayntun will be telegraphed when he is to proceed upon this service, which will not be done whilst a hope remains of the Fleet's getting, in any reasonable time, to Rendezvous 102. NELSON AND Bronte. TO THE SURGEON, PURSER, AND CLERK OF HIS MAJESTY'S LATE SLOOP RAVEN. [From a copy in the Admiralty. "March 12th. Toulon, bearing N. b E."-Victory's Log.] A.M. Saw the high land over Sir, Victory, at Sea, 12th March, 1805. A Report having reached me that you have great reason to believe that a paper produced by Mr. Edwards, late of His Majesty's Sloop Raven, and sworn by him to be a copy of the Raven's Log on the day and night alluded to, is a fabrication and not copied, from the slate on which the Log was kept.' "N.B.-A separate letter was wrote to each." 5 Captain Layman, in a letter to the Admiralty, requested their Lordships to take into consideration various points stated therein, one of which was, "Whether the paper from which the Commander received censure, produced by Mr. Edwards to the Court, as a copy made in the prison from the Log-slate, does not appear invalid, from the statements of Messrs. Bailey, Soden, and Horniton to the Commander-inChief?"-Naval Chronicle, vol. xxxviii. p. 15. you If the report made to me has any truth in it, I desire that will communicate the circumstances to me, that an inquiry may take place into so scandalous and infamous a proceeding. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON AND BRONTE. Sir, TO WILLIAM MARSDEN, ESQ., ADMIRALTY. [Autograph, in the Admiralty.] Victory, 18 leagues South from Toulon, March 13th, 1805. Their Lordships are fully aware of my reasons for not attending to my own health since I received their permission to return to England for its re-establishment. I do assure you that no consideration for Self could come into my mind when the Enemy's Fleet was sure of putting to sea, and they are now perfectly ready in appearance to put to sea again. Therefore, although I have suffered very much from anxiety and a very stormy winter, yet I shall either stay to fight them, which I expect every hour, or until I believe they will not come to sea for the summer, when I shall embrace their Lordships' permission and return to England for a few months for the re-establishment of a very shattered constitution. I am, Sir, &c. NELSON ANDd Bronte, TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ. [Autograph, in the possession of Colonel Davison.] Victory, March 13th, 1805. My dear Davison, Everything by the Raven is gone. It is a sad loss, but I cannot help it. Your letter of January 7th, by the Amphion, I received last night, and I am glad to find that you can travel as far as Wimbledon, and before you receive this letter, you will again, thank God, be a freeman. No consideration should, was I in your situation, induce me to go into Parliament. You must soon take a part, and thus lose many of your present friends. Nothing has, or could keep me here one moment, but the sense of what I owe to myself, my King and Country. The business off Cadiz cannot go on, and the Admiralty will soon find it out. I attribute the loss of the Convoy to that cause, and we shall lose more if it is continued. Either Sir John Orde should command all, or myself; but I complain not. I shall mention it fully when I get home, which will be either the moment after the Battle, or that I believe the French Fleet will not come out for the summer. I am useless if I die; and for what should I? No, I have wrote to the Admiralty my determination. I am now so hectic, that I run a great risk of never recovering; and, my dear Davison, your letter has hurt me not a little. It conveys to my mind an intimation, that I might have made you Agent for the Mediterranean Fleet. If I have that power, it is a power I am unacquainted with; nor do I see how it is possible. But we shall soon talk of this, and other matters; and, so far from having any such power, I do not believe that, if we were to take the whole French Fleet, the Agency would be offered to me in toto, and less I would not accept for you, with the proviso mentioned formerly. There is nothing, my dear Davison, that I could do to meet your wishes, that I should not rejoice in doing; and I only regret that I cannot do impossibilities. I am at this moment very miserable, and am not to be envied. My friendship, regard, and affection for you is unalterable, and I am truly sensible of all the obligations I owe you. I am very glad to hear of the final distribution of the Copenhagen Prize-money. You cannot conceive the insinuations which have been made to me. I must not omit to mention that Sir Richard Strachan is the only Captain who, when stationed outside the Straits, wrote me, that he should, if he sent any Ship to England, make you his Agent. But I have done with this subject, which has much distressed me." This letter was probably continued on another sheet, which has not been found. |